Supported by

Education

The Northwest Railway Museum has several education programs to choose from. School Train is aimed at school groups. Pre-School Train is designed for toddler - preschool age children. Outreach is a program designed for school age children that are unable to visit the Northwest Railway Museum in person. Additional opportunites include programs for Scouts and Senior Groups.

School Train

Pre-School Train

Outreach Education

Scouts

Senior Groups

The Northwest Railway Museum offers a fun and educational excursion into the past through the School Train program. This program is designed for 4th graders and targets 4th grade Washington State History and Social Studies requirements, but is adaptable for students in other age groups (for pre-school age students or younger, please see information on Pre-school Train tab). School Train departs from the Snoqualmie Depot.

School Train operates each spring for three two-hour sessions each day.

2015 Program Dates - TBA

Date

930am-11:30am

10am-12pm

11am-1pm

12:30pm-2:30pm

Thurs April 2

unavail

Full

Wed April 15

unavail

Full

Tues

Thurs May 21

unavail

Full

unavail

Available Times:

Session 1: 9:30am - 11:30am OR 10:00am - 12:00pm

Session 2: 11:00am - 1:00pm school groups only

Session 3: 12:30pm - 2:30pm homeschool groups & families

Our 12:30 session is targeted, but not limited to, home school groups.

Each session is two hours long, and does not include time to have lunch, so please plan accordingly. (Picnic tables are available on site at the the Museum, and at the two city parks close by.) Sessions are limited to 45 participants, including adult chaperones.

The School Train fee is $6 per passenger. Full payment is required by April 1, 2015 for all session dates. The program will run rain or shine. Be advised, there are no refunds.

School Train begins with an introduction at the Gazebo, across King Street from the Snoqualmie Depot. Please arrive at the Gazebo 15 minutes before your session start time. Participants will be divided into groups to rotate through activities: Program A: a hands-on exploration of artifacts and primary source documents to gain a better understanding of how "railroads changed everything." (Great for 4th grade and up) Program B: three short activities that can include: Depot tour, art/craft, and a presentation on how we "talk" to trains. (Great for Kindergarten thru 3rd grade OR mixed-age groups)

Students in either program will receive a worksheet to complete during the activities. This is intended to help students focus on the activity, as well as offer information they can take with them back to school.

All groups will rejoin for the highlight of the program: an excursion aboard the Museum's interpretive railway, the Snoqualmie Valley Railroad.

A supplemental materials packet will be available online in the spring.

To make a reservation or for more information, please call Jessie Cunningham, Educator, (425) 888-3030 ext. 7204 or email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Above: A group of enthusiastic students enjoying School Train.

The Pre-School Train Program is specifically oriented to toddler and pre-school age children. There will be activities (session participants will be split into groups to rotate through the activities) including story time and an art project, followed by a 25-minute scenic train ride on the Snoqualmie Valley Railroad.

2015 SPRING PRE-SCHOOL TRAIN

2015 Dates:

Session

Tuesday April 28

Wednesday April 29

1: 9:30am - 11am

2: 10:30am - 12pm

FULL

3: 12pm - 1:30pm

FULL

4: 1pm - 2:30pm

Each session is 1.5 hours long, and does not include time to have lunch, so please plan accordingly. (Picnic tables are available on site at the the Museum, and at the two city parks close by.) Sessions are limited to 80 participants, including parents & adult chaperones.

The Pre-School Train fee is $6 per passenger. Full payment is required to hold your space. The program will run rain or shine. Be advised, there are no refunds.

To make a reservation:

Group reservations - email the Deputy Director: Jessie Cunningham,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
.

Single family reservations - call the bookstore clerk between 10am and 5pm daily: 425/888-3030 x 7202 or email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
.

Can't make the April/May dates - but would like a preschool train program? Contact the Educator (contact info above) - we can create a weekday program just for you, minus the train ride.

Thank you for your interest.

Above: A child works on a puzzle during Spring Pre-School Train 2007.

Below: Train tables are always popular!

Don’t have the time or budget for field trips? Experience Northwest railway history through mobile hands-on lessons — let the railway come to your classroom!

Lesson 1: Local Railroad History

The arrival of the railroad in the Northwest had a significant impact on life in the region. People were able to move in and product was able to move out. Learn all about the impact railroads had on early Washington State history through hands-on activities:

-- Replica freight cars and examples of freight help students learn what came into and out of their community by rail.

-- Lesson can be tailored to your community.

-- Students can work in groups to determine which items belong in each freight car, then take turns placing the items in the car (explaining their reasoning to the class).

Lesson 2: Working on the Railroad

Building railroads was a major undertaking and a lot of hard work. Learn all about what tools and items were used to build the first railroads:

-- Historic tools and implements give students first hand knowledge.

-- Lesson can be tailored to the focus of your classroom lesson and learning goals.

-- Students can handle artifacts, learning about what it was like to be a worker laying track.

-- Great supplementary lesson to learning about the transcontinental railroad!

Lesson 3: General Railroad History

Railroads and railroad technology had a major impact on life in the United States. Learn all about the impact using photographs and artifacts from our Museum’s collection:

-- Historic photographs tell the story of the railroad.

-- Lesson can be tailored to the focus of your classroom lesson and learning goals.

-- Students can handle large photographs and artifacts, learning about movement of people and/or products in history.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Visits are available September thru April.

Fee: $45, $20 for each additional classroom presentation (on the same day). Scholarships are availale.

Above & Below: These model freight cars teach students what came into and out of their community by rail.

Above: Historic photos help students learn about history.

Schedule a tour for your scout group today! Work with the Educator to create a program to meet your scouting needs.

Depot tours are available Tuesday evenings with advance notice. The program consists of a short docent or staff lead tour of the Snoqualmie Depot, followed by a self-guided History Hunt scavenger hunt around the Museum grounds. The cost is a flat fee: $25.

Want to include a train ride? Bring your group on the weekend to ride the train and enjoy a docent tour before or after your train ride, as well as the self-guided History Hunt. Special pricing is available for Scout groups with advanced notice. The cost is $8 per person ~ this fee includes your train ticket! Reservations are required ~ a minumum of 2 weeks in advance.

Are you looking for activities for an active group of retirees? The Northwest Railway Museum offers weekday tours of both the Snoqualmie Depot and the Train Shed Exhibit Building. Tours are available on any day between 10am and 4pm ~ reservations are required, with a minimum of 2 weeks advance notice.

Snoqualmie Depot tours explore the impact of railroads on the Pacific Northwest, as well as the role depots played on everyday life in small town America. Spend 30 - 60 minutes exploring the rich history of the Snoqualmie Valley.

Add a Train Shed Exhibit Building tour and continue the theme of the railroad changed everything. The Train Shed is a 25,000 sq. ft. building that includes four tracks of railway coaches, locomotives and freight vehicles. The building also includes the award-winning Wellington Remembered exhibit and, coming in fall 2013, The railraod changed everything exhibit.

Cost: $10 per person. Scholarships available.

Two weeks advanced notice for all tour reservations - call or email to schedule your senior group visit today!